FOOTBALL THOUGHTS FROM THE WEEK
It was a busy week at Duck Sports Authority with what might be the biggest win in Oregon history. In a game that might define the Autzen experience for a new generation of Ducks fans: the moment that Oregon proved they had what it took to not just compete with, but to battle and win against, a true blueblood program that has won multiple national championships and been a juggernaut with elite athletes at every position.
This was more than just a win. It was validation—for the team, for the coaches, for the fans. For years, Oregon has flirted with greatness. We’ve had our highs and our crushing lows. We’ve seen BCS championship runs and heartbreaking losses on the biggest stage. This time, though, felt different. This time, Oregon stood toe-to-toe with one of the most physically imposing teams in the country and came out victorious.
The journey is far from over, but on Saturday night, this win felt like a moment that will be remembered for years to come.
In our 3-2-1 look at the game, we noted three observations: Evan Stewart is the real deal, The discipline was next level Saturday night, and the second half run defense (19 total rushing yards on 12 carries) was the difference. We are also left with a couple of questions: how long is Jordan Burch out and will there be a big letdown this week? It won’t be long before we get the answer to the second question, the first question has some more ambiguity (I would expect him to be out 3-4 weeks).
The think is that there is still half of the season left for Oregon. Moving forward, the key will be to sustain this level of execution and to clean up the areas that still need improvement. Special teams play can no longer be an afterthought if Oregon is to challenge for a national championship. The offense needs to continue to build on its chemistry, and the defense, which finally showed signs of real growth against Ohio State, needs to maintain that edge against every opponent.
GRADING THE GAME.
I felt that overall the offense was very good. Oregon's offense was efficient on first downs, gaining an average of 6.7 yards per play. The combination of a solid running game, led by Jordan James, and a dynamic passing attack, featuring Dillon Gabriel’s precision and Evan Stewart’s big-play ability, kept the defense on its heels. Oregon was particularly effective in staying ahead of the chains, which helped set up manageable second- and third-down situations.
Defensively, I was a little more lenient. Given the quality of the opponent, this was a well played game against the run. Were there some big plays in the passing game? Sure, but not as many as had been customary for Ohio State so – in essence – the Oregon defense is probably the best one Ohio State will see this season. The Ducks faced 10 ‘true’ drives (not including the kneel down at halftime) and gave up a score on half of them. The defense forced three punts and recovered a fumble. One extra stop might have made this game a little less stressful, but it was a solid defensive performance against an elite offense.
Here are the links to all of our stories this week in our post game analyses series:
Fifth Quarter: 2024 Ohio State
Sunday Morning Sidewalk: The Surreal and the Unreal
DSA Inside Read: A 3-2-1 Look Back at the Win Over Ohio State
RECRUITING THOUGHTS FROM THE WEEK
The weekend was massive for Oregon on the recruiting from with elite athletes from every corner of the country. Oregon did get two early commits and word is that there were several other silent commits that are still waiting to go public. Will all of those silents stick? That remains to be seen.
The bigger thing here is that recruits got a chance to see Oregon on a national stage – and to see an environment that was about as fun and energetic as anyone could hope for and that will continue to pay dividends for years to come – as long as the team continues to win.
One of our staples is a full scouting report on every commit and we were busy this week with two elite defensive linemen. We also had the chance to hear directly from a ton of recruits. Check out all of our recruiting information in the linked articles:
Ohio State vs Oregon: Breaking Down the Recruiting Impact
Fact or Fiction: This Weekend Is Oregon's Best Chance to Flip Na’eem Offord
Rivals Roundtable: Spotlight on Weekend Visits
Quaaaack: Oregon Lands Elite 2026 DL Commit
Recruits React to Ohio State Game: It Was Like a Movie
Scouting Report: Tomuhini Topui
Scouting Report: Viliami Moala
Five-Star DE Jahkeem Stewart Back from Oregon Visit
Kaleb Burns Talks About Oregon Trip
Photo Gallery: Oregon vs Ohio State
FINAL NOTES FOR THE WEEK
We did take a look ahead to the Purdue game with an early preview of their offense and defense. We will have our DSA Roundtable as well as a Beyond the Pond article from Purdue ahead of the game Friday.
All of the player interview articles are free and always a good read. Here is all of our content about the preprations for Purdue.
Player Interviews (Forum Post)
Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart, and Jordan James Post-Game: Ohio State
Jeffrey Bassa, Matayo Uiagalelei, and Jabbar Muhammad Talk Ohio State Win
College Football Highlights: Oregon Ducks 32, Ohio State Buckeyes 31
Dan Lanning Turns Attention to Purdue
Derrick Harmon Previews Purdue Game
Nikko Reed: "Just Seeing Where Our Feet Are At Feels Good"
